This invention relates to an apparatus for attaching roofing membrane to a structure, and more particularly to an apparatus that does not require puncturing of the roofing membrane.
There are a wide variety of roofing systems used for various types of buildings. For larger buildings with generally flat roof surfaces or domed surfaces, flexible sheet material, for example, EPDM rubber membrane, is becoming increasingly popular due to its many well known advantages. This membrane-type roofing is attached to the structure by basically four different systems. The first system is an adhered system wherein the entire surface is coated with suitable cement and the membrane is then stretched across the surface with separate layers of membrane being overlapped and cemented to form a water-tight barrier. This system is very time consuming and expensive due to the cost of cement and the labor in applying the cement. In the partially adhered system bonding takes place at only special plate areas and at the overlap between the sheeting material. This system suffers from many of the same deficiencies as the adhered system. In a ballast system, membrane is laid on top of the roof and a layer of small stones is placed across the roof to hold the membrane to the roof. There are two separate types of mechanically fastened systems. One system incorporates battens which are arranged over the overlapping portions of the sheeting material and then secured to the roof with a layer of membrane being placed over the battens and adhered to the batten and the underlying membrane to form a water-tight barrier. A second type of mechanical fastening system incorporates anchors which are spaced across the roof and the membrane is then anchored at specific locations to the roof. Many of these anchoring systems require penetration of the roof membrane in the process of anchoring the membrane to the structure. Thus an additional sealing component must be added increasing the time and expense necessary for attaching the membrane to the roof. Some anchoring systems have been adapted to eliminate the need for penetrating the roofing membrane. However, these anchoring systems are either complicated and require hardware that must be manufactured at considerable expense or can be easily damaged when workers are required to walk across the roof.
Various methods and devices for attaching roofing membrane to a structure are disclosed by the following group of patent references. Each reference pertains in one way or another to attaching roofing membrane to a surface though some references are believed to be more relevant to the present invention than others. It is believed by the applicant that the following references are illustrative of the many anchoring systems currently available.
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Patentee ______________________________________ 4,519,175 Resan 4,543,758 Lane 4,502,256 Hahn 4,520,606 Francovitch 4,455,804 Francovitch 1,609,328 Fed. Rep. of Germany 2,330,901 France ______________________________________
Resan discloses a lubricated roofing membrane fastener which does not require that the roofing membrane be penetrated in order to attach it to the structure. However, Resan does not disclose the precise invention claimed in this application and suffers from being easily tripped over or having the cover 35 kicked off when workers are required to cross the roof.
Lane discloses a rail and cap strip for securing rubber roof membrane to a deck without fastener penetrations. Lane appears to be a combination of a batten system and anchor system. The only relevancy to the present invention is that no penetration of the membrane is required.
Hahn discloses an arrangement for securing a flexible web to a walling means. The invention disclosed in Hahn does not require penetration of the flexible web and that is believed to be the extent of the relevancy to the present invention. Hahn requires a substantial portion of the anchoring means to remain above the web material allowing the anchor to be damaged or tripped over when workers are required to walk across the roof.
Francovitch '606 discloses a roof membrane and anchoring system using dual anchor plates. FIGS. 5-9 disclose anchoring mechanisms which do not require the penetration of the roofing membrane. Also Francovitch discloses a low profile anchoring systems which, to a certain extent, alleviates some of the problems inherent with other anchoring systems.
Francovitch '804 discloses a membrane anchor. The relevancy of '804 is believed to be limited to disclosure of a plate in FIGS. 1-5 which has the same general outward shape as the anchoring plate component of the present invention.
The German patent discloses a wide variety of methods and apparatus for anchoring sheet type roofing. FIG. 9 illustrates a three-part device which does not require penetration of the roofing membrane. However, it appears the device must be inserted in a bore drilled into the roofing surface and therefore would require substantial time in placing the device. Additionally, the device disclosed in FIG. 9 does not incorporate the use of compression cuts in order to ease the insertion of the cap within the anchor plate. Later complete translation of the German patent reveals that the device disclosed therein was intended for use in lining tunnel walls and not for roofing.
The French patent illustrates an anchoring mechanism which uses a cap that is inserted into a hole in the structure with the cap being compressible to be inserted into the hole and then expandable to remain secured within the hole. The French patent requires a large hole to be drilled or bored in the existing structure so that any failure of the anchoring mechanism would almost invariably lead to leaks in the roof of the structure.
From the foregoing it is clear that none of the references cited specifically solves all of the problems inherent in anchoring mechanisms for roofing systems. Additionally none of the cited references either incorporate or suggest the combination of all of the elements of the present invention.